Monday, July 13, 2009

Is India really serious about the 2010 CommonWealth Games?

Since I am used to blogging on sport related topics, I thought this was something all we sport lovers of this country need to address.

Many of us must have witnessed/seen/heard of the rousing success of the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Sydney. It was hosted with the highest degree of professionalism and to perfection. Minor glitches are a part of every event but this event was spotless. When it was announced that New Delhi would host the games in 2010, I was filled with a sense of pride, just like my fellow countrymen that an event of such magnitude was coming to our country,and it would be the perfect platform to showcase our culture,talent and an excuse to build our existing and pathetic sports infrastructure. The Govt took all the accolades and lauded the Indian Olympic Association for rightfully securing the hosting rights, a compliment which Suresh Kalmadi took with a lot of honour. He promised to the entire nation that day,that the event in Delhi in 2010 would be the best ever. 3 years down the line,one gets the doubt if the event will be held in India at all?

What bigger disgrace can we as citizens of India face? The Commonwealth Games in Delhi being awarded to some other country just because our infrastructure is shoddy? There is no bigger humiliation for us as a nation if we fail to host the event and match it upto international standards,like the way it was done in Sydney,if not better it. The promise made in 2006 seems to be fading by the minute. Mr Kalmadi has the audosity to still say that all the projects are on track,while its so clearly visible that not even half of the construction work on any of the stadiums is complete. The metro rail work has hit a roadblock thanks to some finest bit of civil engineering marvel undertaken by the DMRC. Is it safe to say that they could learn a thing or too from the Hindusthan Construction Company which recently inaugrated the Bandra Worli Sea Link?

The Indian Govt has not even acknowledged the fact that the CG Games will be a pride to the nation. They are blindly trusting Mr Kalmadi's words, and he is doing nothing,but just hoodwinking the public into believing some serious work is going on!

Its for all of us to see the standards we have stooped down to. When the IPL was moved out of India, the General Elections was given as the reason why they could not provide security to the star studded league. Now what excuse will they make? That the CG Games be moved to some other country on the lines of infrastructure? Some of the projects have hit a roadblock and time is running out. With less than 9 months to go for the event to kick off, its safe to assume that it is going to be a big heart break, a rude shock and a slap on our faces. We as citizens of India will be deprived of an event,that will put us on the world map,when it comes to olympic sports!!

Even as we speak,there is news that the Govt is yet to clear funds for the road work adjacent to the stadium!! What a shame!!!

Let them build proper bridges in the first place.And yeah,Shashank,CWG would be held,the Govt. can't afford humiliation when the whoe world is watching.But the facilites would be pathetic and the sportsmen across the globe would have a smirk on the faces and the word would pass that India is just not THE country.:(

If a country like South Africa could host the IPL in such a short span of time,i think India could do it with a little more effort.Its not too late.Our politicians should move forward,and not find faults in the development towards CWG.The problem with we Indians is that unless we fill our pockets we dont do anything.these people r doin the same.they r diverting the funds into black money

i understand....i know CWG is much bigger than IPL...there is 10 times the time which South Africa had...such a developing country can do that then why not india...considering the time factor....we have to improvise on our stratergies within this time span

More than the whole seriousness factor does India need something like this. 1.6 billion dollars down the drain and we aren't going to gain a whole lot from the tourism point of view. Why couldn't this money or even a fraction of it be used to improve other sports in the country. I mean seriously China has just put India to shame with their performance in the last Olympic Games. Why don't we take a leaf out of their book identify a few sports, get good at them (mind you a sport that is played by more than 10 coutries)and then think about hosting the Games. It's going to be embarassing watching India languish at a 4th or 5th again in these coming games.

Nice to see ppl writing abt Common Wealth Games in India!! thr r vry few ppl bothered abt it..seriously!!Thr s a lot more to be done with Sports othr than Cricket in India...CWG should have been given more importance..!!well, Shanky nice to see ur new blog!! :-)

Before this only developed nations like UK, Canada,Newzealand etc; have hosted CWG.This is the 1st time India has been successful in winning over the bid...that too opposed by a nation like Canada. This itself is a gr8 milestone in India's sports history. Delhi isnt a place it was an year b4. Has undergone a lot of infrastructural changes. The Metro rail has been a coincidental development in this regard.Its gonna greatly benefit even the tourism industry. Billions of rupees poured in.Dude this all i knew b4 reading ur blog. Ur blog at this juncture is really shocking. I dont think v can match the might of the games hosted by Sydney or UK, but v must be able to make it better than that of Malaysia or Jamaica.

well,as i said, a blog is a place wer one expresses his or her opinion. And I did just that. If ur convinced that we have what it takes to make the games a successful one, good luck to u. I would call it heights of optimism.Delhi is undergoing a facelift,when it comes to the infrastructure.,yes Duhh it has to , coz its the national capital. thats the least the goverment can do!...